I'm going to put my oar in here because I don't understand why southern gardeners should have any trouble finding suitable shallot varieties for their gardens. Growing shallots for me is fairly easy but Wikipedia (for whatever that's worth) tells me that they are originally from India. The latitude for India is about the same as the Georgia state line and then south to the equator. I know that shallots are common in Southeast Asia at about 17° north latitude. Johnny's entire selection of shallots are suitable from "35-65° latitude." That's no problem for me, I'm right at 48° north latitude but surely, there are suitable varieties for 35° and south. Where are the southern seed companies in this? digitSteve

Yep -- keep them out of the sun. It dries them out too much and shortens the storage time. I dry mine on old window screens propped up, in an airy garage (no car in it -- wouldn't want them to absorb car odors.) Just to share another method of storage -- I don't cut the tops off until I use them. I braid them into LONG braids, adding one garlic each time there is room for a head on the braid, first on the left, then on the right. It's like making a French braid in hair. Then I hang the braids in a cool room during the winter, and transfer to a closet when I think they might be thinking about sprouting in March.(I actually drape the braids over an old wooden laundry hanging thing.) I cut off a head whenever I need one, and the braids stay where they are. It keeps them nice and airy. My garlic from last July is still perfectly good now. I grow over 200 heads of garlic, so mesh bags or paper bags would take up much more room than this. I also don't ever trim the roots (too much work on 200!)

Thanks for all the advice folks! I got a neighbor kid to bring them inside for me. Believe me, I know that a 150 mile drive may not worth it for a few pound of shallots, but this is my first time growing them, so after all the ammending, planting, mulching, weeding, watering, etc, I'd make the drive just to rescue them. Fortunately, I don't have to. Thanks again

As both I and stac5455 said above, the leaves are the best indication for when to harvest. When planting, the tip of the shallot bulb (assuming you're planted bulbs and not transplants) should be about even or a little above the surface of the soil. At this planting depth the bulbs will push themselves up above the soil surface when they are bulbing, as is evidenced in yolos' photo. Deeper planted bulbs/plants will not do this. Rina, the leaves of your shallots still look quite green to me. I think they need a little more time. Rodney This post was edited by theforgottenone1013 on Sat, Jul 26, 14 at 16:57